| 1. |
- Granseth, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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The initial stage of reversal learning is impaired in mice hemizygous for the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGluT1)
- 2015
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Ingår i: Genes, Brain and Behavior. - : Wiley: 12 months. - 1601-1848 .- 1601-183X. ; 14:6, s. 477-485
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Behavioral flexibility is a complex cognitive function that is necessary for survival in changeable environments. Patients with schizophrenia or Parkinsons disease often suffer from cognitive rigidity, reducing their capacity to function in society. Patients and rodent models with focal lesions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) show similar rigidity, owing to the loss of PFC regulation of subcortical reward circuits involved in behavioral flexibility. The vesicular glutamate transporter (VGluT1) is preferentially expressed at modulatory synapses, including PFC neurons that project to components of the reward circuit (such as the nucleus accumbens, NAc). VGluT1(+/-) mice display behavioral phenotypes matching many symptoms of schizophrenia, and VGluT1 expression is reduced in the PFC of patients with schizophrenia and Parkinsons disease. Thus, it appears likely that VGluT1-expressing synapses from PFC play a key role in behavioral flexibility. To examine this hypothesis, we studied behavioral flexibility in VGluT1(+/-) mice by testing reversal learning in a visual discrimination task. Here, we show that VGluT1(+/-) mice acquired the initial visual discrimination at the same rate as controls. However, they failed to suppress responses to the previously rewarded stimulus following reversal of reward contingencies. Thus, our genetic disruption of modulatory glutamatergic signaling, including that arising from PFC, appears to have impaired the first stage of reversal learning (extinguishing responses to previously rewarded stimuli). Our data show that this deficit stems from a preservative phenotype. These findings suggest that glutamatergic regulation from the cortex is important for behavioral flexibility and the disruption of this pathway may be relevant in diseases such as schizophrenia.
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| 2. |
- Klawonn, Anna, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
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Motivational valence is determined by striatal melanocortin 4 receptors
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - : AMER SOC CLINICAL INVESTIGATION INC. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 128:7, s. 3160-3170
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is critical for survival to assign positive or negative valence to salient stimuli in a correct manner. Accordingly, harmful stimuli and internal states characterized by perturbed homeostasis are accompanied by discomfort, unease, and aversion. Aversive signaling causes extensive suffering during chronic diseases, including inflammatory conditions, cancer, and depression. Here, we investigated the role of melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4Rs) in aversive processing using genetically modified mice and a behavioral test in which mice avoid an environment that they have learned to associate with aversive stimuli. In normal mice, robust aversions were induced by systemic inflammation, nausea, pain, and. opioid receptorinduced dysphoria. In sharp contrast, mice lacking MC4Rs displayed preference or indifference toward the aversive stimuli. The unusual flip from aversion to reward in mice lacking MC4Rs was dopamine dependent and associated with a change from decreased to increased activity of the dopamine system. The responses to aversive stimuli were normalized when MC4Rs were reexpressed on dopamine D1 receptor-expressing cells or in the striatum of mice otherwise lacking MC4Rs. Furthermore, activation of arcuate nucleus proopiomelanocortin neurons projecting to the ventral striatum increased the activity of striatal neurons in an MC4R-dependent manner and elicited aversion. Our findings demonstrate that melanocortin signaling through striatal MC4Rs is critical for assigning negative motivational valence to harmful stimuli.
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| 3. |
- Klawonn, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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The Sigma-2 Receptor Selective Agonist Siramesine (Lu 28-179) Decreases Cocaine-Reinforced Pavlovian Learning and Alters Glutamatergic and Dopaminergic Input to the Striatum
- 2017
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Pharmacology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1663-9812. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Drug addiction is a chronic, debilitating disease that affects millions of people around the world causing a substantial societal burden. Despite decades of research efforts, treatment possibilities remain limited and relapse represents the most treatmentresistant element. Neurosteroid sigma-1 receptors have been meticulously studied in psychostimulant reinforced Pavlovian learning, while the sigma-2 receptor subtype has remained unexplored. Recent development of selective sigma-2 receptor ligands have now made it possible to investigate if the sigma-2 receptor system is a potential target to treat drug addiction. We examined the effect of the sigma-2 receptor agonist Siramesine (Lu 28-179) on cocaine-associated locomotion, Pavlovian learning, and reward neurocircuitry using electrophysiology recordings and in vivo microdialysis. We found that Siramesine significantly attenuated conditioned place preference acquisition and expression, as well as it completely blocked cocaine-primed reinstatement. Siramesine, in a similar manner as the selective sigma-1 receptor antagonist BD 1063, decreased acute locomotor responses to cocaine. Immunohistochemistry suggests co-expression of progesterone receptor membrane component 1/sigma-2 receptors and vesicular glutamate transporter 1 in presynaptic boutons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Whole-cell voltage clamp recordings of neurons in the NAc indicated that Siramesine decreases the presynaptic release probability of glutamate. Further, we demonstrated, via in vivo microdialysis, that Siramesine significantly decreased cocaine-evoked dopamine release in the striatum of freely moving mice. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that sigma-2 receptors regulate neurocircuitry responsible for positive reinforcement and thereby play a role in cocaine-reinforced Pavlovian behaviors.
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| 4. |
- Sanchez, Gonzalo Manuel, et al.
(författare)
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Hedgehog Signaling Regulates the Ciliary Transport of Odorant Receptors in Drosophila
- 2016
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Ingår i: Cell Reports. - : CELL PRESS. - 2211-1247. ; 14:3, s. 464-470
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is a key regulatory pathway during development and also has a functional role in mature neurons. Here, we show that Hh signaling regulates the odor response in adult Drosophila olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). We demonstrate that this is achieved by regulating odorant receptor (OR) transport to and within the primary cilium in OSN neurons. Regulation relies on ciliary localization of the Hh signal transducer Smoothened (Smo). We further demonstrate that the Hh- and Smo-dependent regulation of the kinesin-like protein Cos2 acts in parallel to the intraflagellar transport system (IFT) to localize ORs within the cilium compartment. These findings expand our knowledge of Hh signaling to encompass chemosensory modulation and receptor trafficking.
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| 5. |
- Sundberg, Sofie, et al.
(författare)
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Cre-expressing neurons in the cortical white matter of Ntsr1-Cre GN220 mice
- 2018
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Ingår i: Neuroscience Letters. - : ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD. - 0304-3940 .- 1872-7972. ; 675, s. 36-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genetically modified mouse strains that express Cre-recombinase in specific neuronal sub-populations have become widely used tools for investigating neuronal function. The Ntsr1-Cre GN220 mouse expresses this enzyme in corticothalamic neurons in layer 6 of cerebral cortex. We observed that about 7% of Cre-expressing cells in the primary visual cortex are found within the white matter bordering layer 6. By using the immunohistochemical marker for layer 6 neurons, Forkhead box protein 2 (FoxP2), and fluorescently conjugated latex beads injected into the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, we show that about half of these cells are similar to and could belong to the layer 6 corticothalamic neuron population. The other half seems to be a distinct white matter (WM) neuron sub-population that we estimate to constitute 2-4% of the total cortical Cre expressing population. Staining for the neuronal marker Neuronal nuclei (NeuN) revealed that about 15-40% of WM neurons are Cre-expressing. Thus, the potential contribution from WM neurons needs to be considered when interpreting the results from experiments using the Ntsr1-Cre GN220 mouse for investigating corticothalamic neuronal function.
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| 6. |
- Sundberg, Sofie, et al.
(författare)
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Cre-expressing neurons in visual cortex of Ntsr1-Cre GN220 mice are corticothalamic and are depolarized by acetylcholine
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Comparative Neurology. - : WILEY. - 0021-9967 .- 1096-9861. ; 526:1, s. 120-132
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Ntsr1-Cre GN220 mouse expresses Cre-recombinase in corticothalamic (CT) neurons in neocortical layer 6. It is not known if the other major types of pyramidal neurons in this layer also express this enzyme. By electrophysiological recordings in slices and histological analysis of the uptake of retrogradely transported beads we show that Cre-positive neurons are CT and not corticocortical or corticoclaustral types. Furthermore, we show that Ntsr1-Cre-positive cells are immuno-positive for the nuclear transcription factor Forkhead box protein P2 (FoxP2). We conclude that Cre-expression is limited to a specific type of pyramidal neuron: CT. However, it appears as not all CT neurons are Cre-expressing; there are indications that the penetrance of the gene is about 90%. We demonstrate the utility of assigning a specific identity to individual neurons by determining that the CT neurons are potently modulated by acetylcholine acting on both nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. These results corroborate the suggested function of these neurons in regulating the gain of thalamocortical transfer of sensory information depending on attentional demand and state of arousal.
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| 7. |
- Sundberg, Sofie, 1984-
(författare)
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Neuromodulation, Short-Term and Long-Term Plasticity in Corticothalamic and Hippocampal Neuronal Networks
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Research in neuroscience relies to a large extent on the use of genetically modified animals. Extensive validation of new and existing models is a requirement for the acquisition of trustworthy data and to enable generalization to human physiology and disease. This thesis includes, as one part (project I and II), validation of a transgenic mouse model with the expression of the enzyme Cre-recombinase restricted to neurons in a band in the deepest layer of the cerebral cortex. Secondly, in project III we use this mouse model to study the process of short-term plasticity in neuronal cultures. Lastly, we investigate synaptic plasticity by studying the effect that the developmental signaling factor Hedgehog (Hh) has on mature hippocampal cultures (project IV). In project I and II, we identified the transgenic mouse Neurotensin receptor 1-Cre GN220 (Ntsr1-Cre) to have Cre expression targeted to the corticothalamic (CT) pyramidal neuron population in neocortical layer 6. Further, we identified a small group of Ntsr1-Cre positive neurons present in the white matter that is distinct from the CT population. We also identified that the transcription factor Forkhead box protein 2 (FoxP2) was specifically expressed by CT neurons in neocortex. In project I, we further explored the sensitivity of CT neurons to cholinergic modulation and found that they are sensitive to even low concentrations of acetylcholine. Both nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors depolarize the neurons. Presenting CT neurons as a potential target for cholinergic modulation in wakefulness and arousal. In project III we studied Ntsr1-Cre neurons in cortical cultures and found that cultured neurons have similar properties to CT neurons in the intact nervous system. Ntsr1-Cre neurons in culture often formed synapses with itself, i. e. autapses, with short-term synaptic plasticity that was different to ordinary synapses. By expressing the light-controlled ion channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in Ntsr1-Cre neurons we could compare paired pulse ratios with either electrical or light stimulation. Electrical stimulation typically produced paired-pulse facilitation while light stimulation produced paired pulse depression, presumably due to unphysiological Ca2+ influx in presynaptic terminals. Thus, cultured Ntsr1- Cre neurons can be used to study facilitation, and ChR2 could be used as a practical tool to further study the dependence of Ca2+ for short-term plasticity. In project IV we investigated the role of Hedgehog (Hh) for hippocampal neuron plasticity. Non-canonical Hh-signaling negatively regulated NMDA- receptor function through an unknown mechanism resulting in changes in NMDA-receptor mediated currents and subsequent changes in AMPA- receptors in an LTP/LTD manner in mature neurons. Proposing Hh as a slow-acting factor with ability to scale down excitation for instances of excessive activity, e.g. during an epileptic seizure, as a mechanism to make the activity in the neuronal networks stable.
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| 8. |
- Xia, Qingling, 1989-
(författare)
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Infrared Neural Modulation: Photothermal Effects on Cortex Neurons Using Infrared Laser Heating
- 2018
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- It would be of great value to have a precise and non-damaging neuromodulation technique in the field of basic neuroscience research and for clinical treatment of neurological diseases. Infrared neural modulation (INM) is a new modulation modality developed in the last decade, which uses pulsed or continues infrared (IR) light with a wavelength of 1200 to 2200 nm to directly alter neural signals. INM includes both infrared neural stimulation (INS) and infrared neural inhibition (INI). INM is widely investigated for use on peripheral nerves, cochlear nerve fibers, cardiac cells, and the central nervous system. This technique holds the advantages of contact-free and high spatiotemporal precision compared to the traditional electrical stimulation. It does not depend on genetic modification and exogenous absorbers as other optical techniques, such as the optogenetic technique and the enhanced near-infrared neural stimulation (e-NIR). These advantages make INM a viable technique for research and clinical applications. The primary mechanism of the INM is believed to be a photothermal effect, where the IR laser energy absorbed by water leads to a rapid local temperature change. However, so far the details of the mechanism of action potential (AP) generation and inhibition remain elusive. Another issueis that the cells may be endangeredbythe heat exposure, consequently triggering a physiologicalmalfunction or even permanent damage.These concernshave hindered the transfer of the INM technique to the clinical therapy.Therefore, the general aim of this study was to improve the understanding of the details of how INM affects the cells. Laser parameters for safe and efficient stimulation were investigated on the basis of being useful for clinical applications. A tailored heating model and in vitro INM experiments on cortex neurons were used to reach this goal.The first paper was a feasibility study. A 1550nm laser with a beam spot diameter of around 6 mm was used to irradiate the rat cortex neurons, which were seeded on multi-electrode arrays (MEA) and formed well-connected networks. A heating model based on an estimated laser beam (standard Gaussian distribution) was used to simulate temperaturechanges. The damage signal ratio (DSR),based on the temperature,was calculated to predict the heat damage. The average spike rate of all the working electrodes from two MEAs was used to evaluate the degree of theinhibition of the neural networks. Results IVshowed that it is possible to use the 1550 nm laser to safely inhibit the neural network activity and that the degree of the INI is dependent on the power of the laser.The second paper wasan application and mechanism study. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety, efficiency, and cellular mechanism of INI. The same laser as in paper Iwas used in this study. A 20 X objective was used to decrease the beam spot diameteraround 240 μm. The measured laser profile (high order Gaussian beam) was used in the heating model to predict the temperature. The model was verified by local temperature measurements viamicropipette. The action potential rates, measured by the MEA electrodes, were quantified for different temperatures. Bicuculline was added to the cortex neuron cultures to induce hyperexcitation of the neural network. The results showed that the INI is temperature dependent and that the temperature needs to be less than 46 °C at 30 s laser irradiation for safe inhibition. The IR laser couldalso be used to inhibit the hyperexcitedactivity. The degree of inhibition, for the assessed subpopulation of neurons, was better correlated with the action potential amplitude than the width of it and INIcan be accomplished without inhibitory synapses
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